The following description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
Mobile devices often require entry of data in the form of textual data by a user in order to perform their designed functions. A typical character entry interface that meets this requirement provides a plurality of buttons, each sized to be easily pressed by a human fingertip, with one character assigned to each button and one button for each character that a user could want to select. In English-language cultures, the QWERTY keyboard is one such standard interface and this interface is commonly found on typewriters and computers.
Due to the rapid technological development of reducing the size of computing devices, electronic devices, either by design or due to a constraint, do not use the standard interface. Wearable devices are an example of an entire category of electronic mobile devices that do not typically provide a standard character entry interface. Users of limited-size and wearable devices typically demand that the device fit easily on their wrist or in the palm of their hand. To meet this requirement, portable devices cannot at the same time offer finger-sized keys and enough keys for all the letters of an alphabet. As many portable devices have functions that require character entry, this leads to a conflict between providing a user interface that offers utilized and convenient functionality but in a size that can still be carried with ease. Limitations derived from the data entry methods, such as disabled or pilots using eye or head movement or the like also to adapt to less accurate movements per keyboard size to navigate through the keyboard. Some of alternative methods, such as word disambiguation, for solving this problem exist in the prior art.
Word disambiguation methods in reduced keyboards have been previously described, based on the SMS keyboard of a cellular phone pad, though not limited to this key-set. One example is disclosed in PCT application PCT/US98/01307, by Tegic Communication, Reduced keyboard disambiguating system, disclosing a reduced keyboard disambiguating system. The keyboard has twelve keys, nine of them labeled with numerous letters and other symbols, and those nine plus one more are labeled each with one of the ten digits. Textual entry keystrokes are ambiguous. The user strikes a delimiting “Select” key at the end of each word, delimiting a keystroke sequence that could match any of many words with the same number of letters. The keystroke sequence is processed with a complete vocabulary, and words which match the sequence of keystrokes are presented to the user in order of decreasing frequency of use. In addition, stems of longer words whose initial letters match the sequence of keystrokes are also presented to the user in order of decreasing frequency of use. The first work in the presented list is automatically selected by the input of the first character in the next word. The letters are assigned to the keys in a non-sequential order which reduces chances of ambiguities. The “Select” key is pressed to select the desired word other than the first word, and spacing between words and punctuation is automatically computed. For words which are not in the vocabulary, a simultaneous unambiguous interpretation of each keystroke is performed to specify each letter of a desired word. The system simultaneously interprets all keystroke sequences as both ambiguous and unambiguous keystrokes. The user selects the desired interpretation. The system also presents to the user the number which is represented by the sequence of keystrokes for possible selection by the user.
Moreover, mobile devices comprising touch screens result in having a very limited typing area thus require even better optimization of space usage, sometimes with fewer keys. The use of keyboards having multiple characters on each key to reduce the overall size of the keyboard is known. Grover et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,437 is among one of many publications which describes a reduced keyboard disambiguating computer, the keyboard having 12 keys, 9 of them labeled with numerous letters and other symbols. Grover describes, inter alia, how the keyboard disambiguating computer is used to process a keystroke sequence with a complete dictionary, and words which match the sequence of keystrokes are presented to the user in order of decreasing frequency of use. The user selects the desired word.
Other examples employing a keyboard having 12 keys include U.S. Pat. No. 6,307,548 and 549 to Flinchem et al. and King et al, respectively, relate to a reduced keyboard disambiguating system having a keyboard with a reduced number of keys. A plurality of letters and symbols are assigned to a set of data keys so that keystrokes entered by a user are ambiguous. Due to the ambiguity in each keystroke, an entered keystroke sequence could match a number of words having the same number of letters. Each object is also associated with a frequency of use. Objects within the vocabulary modules that match the entered keystroke sequence are identified by the disambiguating system. Objects associated with a keystroke sequence that match the entered keystroke sequence are displayed to the user in a selection list.
Method for optimizing key-sets for usage in disambiguation word prediction mode was claimed in a PCT application PCT/IL2008/001522 ('522), by Avi Elazari et al. This method discloses Character input system for limited keyboards, in which a number of input keys in the keyboard is smaller than a number of characters in an input alphabet, the system comprising: a memory comprising a plurality of different mappings of said characters onto combinations of said keys; and a selector for allowing a user to select one of said mappings for character input. The different mappings are optimized for different users and different purposes, so that the user may select a mapping for simplicity of use, or one optimized for touch-typing, or for minimal key pressing or for minimal ambiguity or for other factors and combinations thereof.
Several additional methods for data entry and word disambiguating systems in mobile electronic devices exist.
WO2006059199 (A1) discloses Method for assigning large sets of characters in different modes to keys of a number keypad for low keypress-data-entry ratio, a key assignment method that assigns large sets of alphabetic and other characters and functions to the keys of a standard numeric keypad for text/data entry on an electronic device. Two letters are assigned in pairs to each key of the standard 12-key keypad in a first character mode, and other symbols, characters, or infrequently used letters are assigned in second or more optional character modes. A mode selection key is provided to select between the modes. In the first character mode, a keypress of a key selects the first letter of the pair and two keypresses in succession selects the second letter. The letter pairs may be assigned in alphabetic order, except for infrequently used letters, such as ‘Q’ and ‘Z’, or in QWERTY order, or in pairs of a more frequently-used letter with a less frequently-used letter. By comparison to the standard phone keypad layout having an average KPD=2.2, this method can achieve a KPD=1.4 or lower. The standard directional arrow keys (RDI keys) may be used for mode selection in multiple character modes. Using the RDI mode selector can transform the conventional 12-key telephone keypad into the equivalent of a 60-key data entry layout (or expandable by 60 more keys for each additional character per key per mode keystroke used), thereby allowing operation comparable to a full QWERTY keyboard of characters, with enhanced symbols and functions, and/or with multi-language character sets.
U.S. Patent 2009051572 (A1) discloses a method for Mapping alphabetic characters to a numeric keypad, a keypad comprising a plurality of numerically labeled keys wherein each key on a numeric keypad as mapped to letters of alphabet in a language, wherein a plurality of alphabetic letters are assigned to at least one key on the numeric keypad wherein a first alphabetic letter is selected from among the plurality of alphabetic letters assigned to the key, in response to a first interaction with said key, such that the first alphabetic letter is the first most frequently used letter from among said plurality of letters assigned to the key in said language.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,847,706 discloses Method and apparatus for alphanumeric data entry using a keypad, a keypad for entering letters includes an array of keys with each key being assigned to at least one letter of an alphabetical system based on the frequency of occurrence of the least one letter in a typical body of written work. The alphabetical system comprises at least one most-frequently-occurring letter that is entered by activation of the same key twice and at least one less-frequently-occurring letter that is entered by activation of two different keys.
FR2755264 (A1) discloses Alphanumeric keyboard for one-handed use, the keyboard has a group (A) of nine keys (1-9) arranged in three rows and three columns. The keys are combined electronically so that certain of them are combined in pairs or in threes to form a less frequently used letter. Single keys correspond to the most frequently used letters. A number of supplementary keys (B) provide functions such as tabulate, back space, return, delete or cursor keys. Two keys (12, 13) select the operating modes of the keyboard to enter either alphabetic or numeric characters. The nine-key layout corresponds to a conventional numeric keypad in numeric entry mode.
KR20030043532 (A) discloses Device for inputting English character in small instrument and method therefor, a device for inputting English alphabets in a small instrument and a method therefor are provided to input a desired sentence by the number of minimum input times by differently locating the English alphabets according to a use frequency. When allocating English alphabets in each button on an instrument, the English alphabets are allocated as the first to fourth characters of each button according to the use frequency of the English alphabets. One alphabet is assigned in one button. In cast that the last alphabet is outputted when several alphabets are assigned in one button, a cursor is moved to a next blank for waiting for next input. In case that access is easily performed to a button, an alphabet of a low frequency is assigned as the first character of the button.
WO2010021459 (A2) discloses English keypad for a mobile phone using a stroke adding function, an English keypad using a stroke adding function for sending English messages on a mobile phone. Conventional character input methods based on the number of presses in conventional mobile phones require much care to be taken, have a high probability of typographical errors, require a user to keep the eyes thereof on the screen of the mobile phone to accurately input characters due to the stand-by time required for inputting another character of the same key after the input of certain characters, and are inconvenient for converting between capital letters and small letters. To overcome the enumerated problems, (A@B), (CGD), (FEH), (IJK), (NML), (OQS), (PRT), (VWU), (YXZ), (.!?) are arranged in a sequence on the numeral keys 1 to 0 of a conventional keypad of a general mobile phone, and a STROKE function is set to the bottom left key * such that the first character on each key is input when the key is pressed once, the second character on each key is input when the key is pressed after pressing the STROKE button, and the last character on each key is input when the key is quickly pressed twice. Thus, all of the characters including special characters which are frequently used can be input with two presses. The keys are arranged in an order such that the second character can be easily associated by adding one stroke to the first character, similar characters are positioned on the same key, and other characters are arranged in the order of the English alphabet, as shown in the drawing. Moreover, the Caps Lock key is arranged on the position of the bottom right key # in such a manner that the Caps Lock key can be toggled for converting between capital letters and small letters. As described above, the present invention enables a user to input all of the English characters with two presses on a mobile phone, eliminates the necessity of waiting for another input after inputting characters, enables the convenient conversion between capital letters and small letters and the easy input of character messages, and reduces the time required for inputting messages.
The current technologies and prior art, taken alone or in combination, do not address nor provide a solution for data entry embedded in computing instruments having touch-screens by efficient allocation of space available on the hardware interface to facilitate efficient typing using a small number of keys usable in small screen area and combining prediction typing and accurate letter by letter typing through a seamless integration. Referring to prediction capabilities on limited-size devices, the known technologies in prior art do not take into account considerations of improved distinction between letters in a given area, quality in terms of instructive visual design and grouping of letters, as well as effective integration of letter by letter typing with prediction typing and ergonomic and typing-related statistical considerations in a comprehensive way.
Therefore, there is a long felt and unmet need for a system and method that overcomes the problems associated with the prior art.
As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g. “such as”) provided with respect to certain embodiments herein is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element essential to the practice of the invention.
Groupings of alternative elements or embodiments of the invention disclosed herein are not to be construed as limitations. Each group member can be referred to and claimed individually or in any combination with other members of the group or other elements found herein. One or more members of a group can be included in, or deleted from, a group for reasons of convenience and/or patentability. When any such inclusion or deletion occurs, the specification is herein deemed to contain the group as modified thus fulfilling the written description of all Markush groups used in the appended claims.